Shelf construction



Dec. 19, 1944. w. A. BOCKIUS SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 7, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 19, 1944. w. A. s'ocKlus SHELF CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. '7, 1944 Dec. 19, 1944. w. A. socklus 2,

' SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. '7, 1944 Sheets-Sheet a Patented Dec. 19, 1944 I UNITED "STATE PATENT oFFlcE SHELF ooNsmUoTIoN Walter Allan Bockius, Glenview, 111. Application January '1, 1944, Serial No. 517,315

15 Claims. ol. 2l1-=-148) This invention relates, to improvements in knockdown shelf construction and more particularly to one which may be extended laterally section by section.

It is an object of this invention to provide a set of shelves which can be assembled without the, use of nails and in which the parts interlock each other so as to provide a sturdy and rigid construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved joint betweenthe uprights and the longitudinally extending rails of a shelf construction.

Another object is to provide an improved shelf construction wherein the shelf is supported at its front and rear edges, and is disposed above a transverse member so as to prevent any tendency of the shelf to flex when it is loaded.

Still another object is to provide an improved shelf construction in unit form which can be put f up and taken down easily and. to which can be added like units to form a continuous shelf.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. i

With reference now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts: a

, Fig.1' is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of this invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken along the plane desi'g nated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sec'tionalelevation taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 4, showing the embodiment of Fig. l with an additional unit added;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 4- 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail alongthe line 5 of Fig. 3; r

Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview of a detail;

taken Figs. '7 to 12, inclusive, are perspective views or several types of structural members entering into the construction of the embodiment shown in the preceding" figures; and Fig. 13 is an enlarged elevation of a detail.

With reference nowto Figs-1 and '2,'the prerear; corner member 25, the two being secured to each other by rounds 26. Dowel pins 21 project from the inner surfaces of the corner members 24 and 25, each pin being disposed below and slightly to one side of each of the rounds. The corner members 24 and 25 are provided with grooves 28 and 29 which are oppositely disposed from one another so as to receive an end panel 6|. The corner groove 38 is provided in the rear corner member 24 for a purpose which will hereinafter appean. V

The right end frame I6 is identical to the left end frame I 5 except for the fact that the position of the dowels and the grooves are reversed from right to left, and vice versa.

The center frame I! is shown in detail in Fig. 8 and comprises front and rear members SI and 32 which are rigidly secured to .each other by rounds 33. Dowel pins 34 project from the inner surfaces of the front and rear members, and in this instance-they are set in pairs, each pair being disposed slightly below the round, andthe members of the pair being aligned with each other in horizontal direction, and aligned horizontally with the dowel pins 21 of the end frame members. The rear member 32 is provided with corner grooves 35 at its two inner corners, and these grooves cooperate with the corner grooves 30 of the end members to hold back panels 60 in place, as will be hereinafter pointed out.

.These frames, of which there are three in the embodiment of Fig. 1, are maintained in upright position and secured to each other by the rails It! to 23 inclusive. The rail 3 is shown in detail in Fig. 9 and is provided with a center notch 36, the bottom of which is rounded so that it will fit about a round 33. A pair of dowel notches 31 are formed beneath the center notch 36 which cooperate with a pair of the dowel pins 3 2 of the center frame H. The left end of the rail 18 is provided with a half notch 38 and with a dowel notch- 39 for cooperation with a round 26 and a dowel pin 21. The right end of the rail 88 is similarly provided with a half notch 40 and a dowel'notch 4|.- A shelf groove 42 is provided in the rail l8 which runs longitudinally thereof, this shelf groove being adapted to receive the top panel 62, as will be hereinafter pointed out.

The middle and bottom rails 19 and 2d are identical to the rail I8 and need not be described in detail. The front rails 2|, 22 and 23 are disclosed in detail in Figs. 10, Hand. 12 and are each provided with the center notch G3 and a pair of dowel notches 44, together with a half notch 45 and a dowel notch 46 at the left end of each and a half notch 41 and a dowel notch 48 at the right end of each, for the same purpose as pointed out in connection with the rear rail I8. Each of the front rails is also provided with shelf grooves 53.

The lower edge of the top rail 2| is provided with an edge groove 49 which cooperates with an edge groove 50 in the upper edge of' the middle rail 22 to receive a pair of sliding doors 56 and 51. Similarly the lower surface of the middle rail 22 and the upper surface of the bottom rail 23 are provided with edge grooves I and 52 which accommodate a pair of sliding doors 58' over the rounds and dowel pins 33 and 34 of the center frame members Il, and by similarly fitting the front rails to the center frame Il. The end framesare then secured to the ends of the 'rails, and the result is an upstanding lattice.

Shelves 54 and 55, which are preferably in the form of plywood panels, are then slid into the shelf grooves 42 and 53 of the middle and bottom rails. The shelves are not only supported by these rails, but they also prevent inward move ment of the rails, thereby providing interlocking arrangement which prevents the rails from moving off the dowel pins. It will be noted that the shelf grooves and 53 are formed in the upper portions of the rails so that the shelves 54 and 55 are disposed above their corresponding rounds. The shelves are disposed above and preferably are in contact with the corresponding rounds; By means of this construction, any tendency of the heavily loaded shelves to buckle to an extent wherein the edges of the shelves would slip out of the shelf grooves 42 and 53, is prevented.

The doors 56 and 51 are then inserted longitudinally between the top and middle front rails 2I and 22, and the doors 58 and 59 are also inserted between the middle and bottom front rails 22 and 23, the doors being held in place by means of grooves but also being free for longitudinal movement. It will be notedin the embodiment of Fig. 1 that each door is slightly more than half of the length of the section and the grooves are twice the thickness of the doors, so that one door can .overlap the other door when it is slid to open position.

The back panels 60 are then slid downwardly into place, these panels being held in place by the corner grooves 30 and35 on the rear members of the frames. The left end panel BI is then fitted into the grooves 28 and 29 in the left frame I5, and the right end panel 69 is fitted into corresponding grooves in the right frame I6. These end panels lock the shelves in position and prevent their withdrawal. The top panels 62 comprising upper and lower members and 64 which are separated by means of spacers 85 to form tongues 66, are then slid into place, the tongues 66 fitting in the shelf grooves'42 and 53 of the top rear rail I8 and the top front rail 2|. The upper member 53 of the top panel overhangs the back panels 60 and the end panels 6| and B9 and prevents their removal, so that all of the parts. of the assembly are securely locked'inposition. I i

If desired, certain parts identical" to those just described may be addedat one or bothends' of This is done by fitting the center notches the Fig. 1 construction in order to extend the same laterally. In other words, Fig. 1 can be considered as a single section or a unit, and the construction herein described permits additional sections or units to be added in lateral directions. The Fig. 1 unit with an additional unit added to it is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the additional parts which make up the second unit being designated by the same reference numerals, followed-by an a, as those applied to the identical parts which make up the first unit.

The addition of a unit involves the removal of one of the end frames such as the right end frame I6, together with its end panel 69, and the substiution therefor of another middle frame Ila. Since the width of each additional section is preferably identical with the width of the original section, actually there will be added two additional center frames Ila, together with certain associated parts such as rails I 8a to 23 inclusive, shelves 54a, a, top panel 62a and rear panel a. The right end frame I6 and the end panel '69 of the Figs. 3 and 4 construction are the identical parts formerly embodied in the Fig. 1 construction.

In adding another section, the shelves 54 and 55 of the-adjacent section must be removed in order to permit inward movement of the rails so as to disengage them from the dowel pins 21 of the. endframe. In assembling the frames and rails of the additional section, the half notches 38a and the dowel notches 39a of the back rails are fitted around the rounds 33 and the right hand one of each pair of dowel pins 34 of a centerframe Ila, as shown in Fig. 3. The right hand ends of the back rails I8, I9 and 20 cooperate with the frame Ila in a similar manner. The front rails obviously cooperate with frame Ila in a like manner.

The use of a pair of dowel pins on the center frames, as shownin detail in Fig. 6, permits a center frame to be used either as the middle frame of a given section or as a part of the joint between two adjacent sections. This construction, when used at the middle of a given section, is shown in detail in Fig. 5.

The joint formed when the frame is used to join adjacent sections, is shown in detail in Fig. 13, the center frame Ila cooperating with the rails I8 and I8a in the manner shown. It will be noted that the end dowel notches M and 39a,

as well as the end dowel notches of the rails I9 to 23, inclusive, are cut away at the outer wall to facilitate somewhat the fitting of the rail on the dowel pins. This special type of notch is shown in detail in Fig. 13.

In. the double sections as shownin Figs. 3 and 4, double doors 5'! and 58 may be used, each door being approximately the length of a whole section, rather than the singl length doors shown in Fig. 1. It will'be noted that the sliding door 51 which is adapted to close the left-hand section is spaced in the rearward half of the groove 50 by mean of a spacer lI glued to the-lefthand end thereof. The door 58, which normally closes the right-hand section, but which is shown in Fig. 4 as being slid'over to the left-hand section, is maintained in the front half of the groove 50a by means of a spacer l2 glued to the righthand end thereof. Due to the provision of these spacers, the doors are always offset one from the other so as to be ready for opening at any time.

It is understood, of course,,that whereasthe sections herein shown are of a height equal to'two shelves, vthey'may be constructed in any height so as to accommodate five or six shelves if desired, the only difference being that the frames are of greater height, and the endand back panels may be of greater height. The rails and shelves are of standard dimensions for all heights. l

Although only a preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described herein, it will be apparentthat numerous variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention. The l foregoing description and drawings are deemed to be illustrative only and the invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A shelf construction comprising a group of front uprights and a corresponding group of rear uprights, crossbars uniting the corresponding uprights of each group, a longitudinally extending grooved shelf support removably associated with each group of uprights, the grooves'in said shelf supports facing inwardly, a shelf removably fitted in said grooved shelf supports, :and means on said uprights on which said shelf support rests.

2. A shelf construction comprising a group of front uprights and a corresponding group of rear uprights, crossbar uniting the corresponding uprights of each group, a longitudinally extending grooved shelf support associated with each group of uprights, the grooves in said shelf supports facing inwardly, a shelf removably fitted in said grooved shelf supports, and dowel pins mounted on said uprights and cooperating with recessed portions of said shelf supports for re- 3 shelf grooves, shelves disposed between said front,

and rear shelf supports, the front and rear edges fitting in said shelf grooves, said rear uprights being vertically grooved, back panels removably fitted between said grooved rear uprights, the front and rear uprights at each end being vertically grooved, and end panels removably fitted therebetween.

4. A shelf construction comprising a front upright, a rear upright, a cross member secured to and being disposed between said two uprights, 5'

a front rail disposed adjacent said front upright and a rear rail disposed adjacent said rear upright, each of said rails being notched so as to fit around said cross members and being provided with inwardly facing grooves, means for securing said rails to said uprights, and a shelf supported by said grooved rails along its front and rear edges in a position wherein it may rest on said transversely disposed cross member.

5. A shelf construction comprising a front upright, a rear upright, cross members secured to and disposed between said two uprights, afront rail disposed adjacent said front upright and a rear rail disposed adjacent said rear upright, each of said rails being notched soas to fit around said cross members, inwardly projecting dowel pins on said uprights for securing said rails to said uprights, and a shelf fitted between and supported by said rails along its front and rear edges in a position whereby removal of said rails from said-dowel pins .is prevented, said-rails being constructed with notches in the lower edge thereof to receive said dowel pins, and with grooves on the inner sides to receivethe edges of said shelf.

6. A shelf construction comprising a front upright, a rear upright, a cross member secured to and disposed between said two uprights, a grooved front rail disposed adjacent said front upright and a grooved rear rail disposed adjacent said rear upright, each of said rails being notched in its upper surface so as to fit around said cross members, and the grooves being disposed inwardly facing and immediately above said cross members, and a shelf fitted in said grooves along its front and rear edges whereby the open ends of the notches are closed by said shelf, and said shelf may rest on said transversely disposed cross member.

7.'A shelf construction comprising a plurality of frames, each frame including a front and rear upright and rounds disposed therebetween, rails provided with notches at their upper edges to fitaround said rounds, said rails being provided with longitudinally extending grooves at their inner surfaces and located above said rounds, and shelves fitting in said grooves.

8. A shelf construction comprising a plurality of frames, each frame including a front and rear upright and rounds disposed therebetween, rails provided with notches to fit around said rounds, said rails being'provided with longitudinally extending grooves at their inner surfaces, shelves fitting in said grooves, and dowel pins associated with said frames at the inner sides of said uprights and cooperating with recessed portions formed in the lower sides of said rails so as to support said rails, said shelves serving to prevent inward movement of said rails off said dowel pins.

9. A unit shelf construction comprising three frames, each frame including a front and rear upright and rounds disposed therebetween, rails provided with notches in their upper edges to fit around said rounds, said rails being provided with longitudinally extending grooves at their inner surfaces, shelves fitting in said grooves, and a pair of horizontally aligned dowel pins set into the inner surfaces of the uprights of the center frame just below a round and received within recesses formed in the lower edges of said rails for supporting the same, and cooperating with said round to provide a rigid joint.

10. A joint for shelf construction comprising an upright having a round projecting perpendicularly from a surface thereof, two dowel pins disposed adjacent and below said perpendicular round, and a notched rail fitted around said round and provided with dowel notches in its lower edge for cooperation with said dowel pins.

11. A joint for shelf construction comprising an uprighthaving a member projecting perpendicularly from a surface thereof, two horizontally aligned dowel pins set in said upright just beneath said perpendicular member, and a notched cross member fitted around said perpendicular member and provided with dowel notches in its lower edge for cooperation with said dowel pins.

12. A structural member for shelving being adapted equally well for use as a center member of a section or as a memberdisposed at the joint between two adjacent sections, comprising a frame in the form of a front and rear upright joined together by one or'more' rounds, apair of dowel pins disposed adjacent and below said rounds, one dowel pin of each pair being disposed at one side of the vertical center line through said rounds, and the other dowel pin of each pair being disposed on the opposite side of said vertical center line, the dowel pins of each pair being aligned horizontally so that each dowel pin may cooperate with correspondingly disposed apertures formed in the ends of adjacent rails or cooperate with one of a pair of correspondingly disposed apertures formed in the center portion of a single rail.

13. A sectional shelving structure comprising a plurality of vertical supporting members each in the form of a frame, rails detaehably supported by said frames and provided with grooves on their inner surfaces, and a shelf removably disposed in said grooves and supported thereby, said shelf being also supported by cross members forming a part of and connected to each frame.

14. A sectional shelving structure comprising a plurality of vertical supporting members each in the form of a frame, rails detachably supported by said frames and provided with grooves on their inner surfaces, and a shelf removably disposed in said grooves and supported thereby, said shelf being also supported by cross members forming a part of and connected to each frame, each rail extending throughout a distance equal to the span between alternate frames, and each shelf being of like length.

15. A sectional shelving structure comprising a plurality of vertical supporting members each v in the form of a frame, and all frames, except the end frames, being identical to each other and being provided with a pair of horizontally aligned dowel pins on an inwardly facing vertical surface, front and rear rails each having a pair of notches at the center at the lower edge'thereof. and a notch at each end at the lower edge thereof for cooperation with said dowel pins so as to be supported thereby, and a shelf, disposed between said rails and supported thereby, each rail extending throughout a distance equal to the distance between alternate frames, the abutting notched ends of abutting rails each being engaged by one dowel pin of a pair, and the center notched portion of each of said rails being engaged by a pair of dowel pins.

' WALTER ALLAN BOCKIUS. 

